[...]

   The second problem is that the boot process hangs at the ep1 device
   "stage".  I have re-installed my 3com 3c589d ethernet card and it
   seems to have been successfully probed, but the boot hangs here and
   goes no further, no panic nothing.  The message is:

   ep1 at pcmcia0 function 0 port 0x330-0x33f: 3Com 3C589 Ethernet
   ep1: MAC address 00:60:08:8a:68:d3

I have noticed the exact same thing on an IBM Thinkpad 560, as well
as a Compaq Contura.  In both cases all devices that are not in use
are disabled in the firmware.


Carl